SOCI 3006 – Collective Behaviour July 2006 Review #2

SOCI 3006 – Collective Behaviour July 2006 Review #2

1. Administrative • all materials for test are on website • password for website is cjrocks

2. General Categories of Collective Behaviour • “Collective behaviour may be defined as those forms of • social behaviour in which usual conventions cease to • guide social action and people collectively transcend, • bypass or subvert established institutional patterns • and structures” (Turner and Killian, 1987) • Violent/Destructive Collective Behaviour • mass suicides – usually, hysterical beliefs form the basis, • strong group pressures to conform to belief structures, • group practices (but do they attract particular • personality dispositions?) – Heaven’s Gate group in 1997, • Jonestown, Guyana in 1977)

2. General Categories of Collective Behaviour • mob violence – normally non-violent people attacking • people or property with the goal of destroying, injuring, • killing – may be organized or unorganized •  lynchings •  Crown Heights, Brooklyn, NY • Riots – sudden outbreaks, often a ‘venting’ of collective • emotion – can be deadly and destructive, or ‘celebration’ • riots •  hockey riots •  Christie Pits 1933 •  May Day celebrations in Akron, Ohio, 1994 •  Chicago Bulls, 1997 riot

2. General Categories of Collective Behaviour • (b) Consumers and Collective Behaviour • crazes and panics – crazes are usually motivated by financial • gain - the Beer Can collecting craze in the 1970’s; Western • gear in Japan; chain letters; Elmo; Barbie – panics are • motivated by fear, often of financial loss – like • the crash of 1929; Nortel • fads – the desire to possess, not necessarily for profit – • often created by marketers, mass media – dance fads, • toy fads (Davey Crocket), game fads (Trivial Pursuit; Monopoly) – • on the whole, harmless activities

2. General Categories of Collective Behaviour • (c) Hysterias • rumors – a piece of information that is not or cannot be • verified – often spreading rapidly during periods of • anxiety/concern, in the absence of other more reliable • information – Mcdonald’s worm-burgers, Colgate/Palmolive, • summer camp rumours • physical hysteria – a physiological manifestation of • collective behaviour – the June Bug phenomenon in 1962; • release of the film The Exorcist • millenarian groups – belief in the world coming to an end • on a given date – either utopian vision or apocalyptic • (catastrophic) vision – Miller and the Millerites, 1831

2. General Categories of Collective Behaviour • (c) Hysterias • sightings and miracles – religious apparitions (Fatima; Sabana • Grande; Thomson, Man.) – also UFO sightings (Rozwell)

4. Deadly Riots – the Los Angeles Riot of 1992 • 1965 – the Watts riot – the most deadly, destructive riot until Miami, 1980 • 1992 – the Los Angeles riot tops the list in terms of destruction, death • “a riot is a violent and emotional social disruption” • may be destruction of property, injuries, death • note the Plymouth/Massachusetts Bay Colony riot of 1634 • the most violent riots of the 20th century generally stemming from issues of race, social class (note p. 110 of text)

4. Deadly Riots – the Los Angeles Riot of 1992 (cont’d) • the 1992 L.A. riot also known as the ‘Rodney King’ riot • text uses Smelser’s value-added theory to analyze riots • riot resulted in 51 deaths; 2, 383 injuries; $1 billion in damages, over 700 businesses burned over a three-day long period of rioting, burning, looting, violence, shooting • 25 square block area of the city was devastated • http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/04/28/la.riot.anniversary

4. Deadly Riots – the Los Angeles Riot of 1992 (cont’d) • the L.A. riot exploded after the verdict was announced in the Rodney King case • March 3, 1991 – King pursued in high-speed car chase by L.A. police officers – ‘Tasered’, but did not succumb to the weapon – subsequently beaten with batons (56 times hit) causing multiple fractures, nerve damage, broken ankle, etc. • George Holliday, living in an apartment overlooking the incident, filmed it • http://www.seeingisbelieving.ca/handicam/king/ • Holliday’s tape shown over and over again on national news

4. Deadly Riots – the Los Angeles Riot of 1992 (cont’d) • despite calls for him to step down, L.A. Police Chief Daryl Gates refused • four officers involved in beating tried beginning March, 1992 in a changed venue, Ventura County (98% white) • April 29, 1992 – verdict in – hung verdict on one count against officer Laurence Powell, not guilty on all other charges • immediately following verdict outrage in Black, Hispanic communities in particular – quickly erupted into destruction of property, then violence – by the next day, 2400 National Guard troops brought in, curfews implemented • Blacks did not account for the majority of rioters

4. Deadly Riots – the Los Angeles Riot of 1992 (cont’d) • ANALYSIS • structural conduciveness – outrage against courts, system of justice, failure to punish officers involved – lack of available legitimate channel to express their outrage – communication among the aggrieved parties, combined with other factors, including densely populated urban core streets, warm weather, availability of weapons, businesses to loot, vandalize • structural strain – perception of ongoing racism in justice system – history of past riots, shootings of Blacks, tension between Black/Hispanic communities, poor community relations between police and citizens, excessive force allegations, then the Rodney King incident

4. Deadly Riots – the Los Angeles Riot of 1992 (cont’d) • ANALYSIS • generalized belief – belief among Blacks, Hispanics, others that justice cannot be had for them – media edited tape selectively – naturally, most members of the public assumed the officers would be convicted – Mayor Bradley’s statements further supported belief that ‘system had failed’ • mobilization of participants – note that no rioting itself occurred in Ventura County – but rather, South-Central L.A., with violence directed first at authority symbols, then at convenient, ‘safe’ targets – note role of media here in a leadership role, directing rioters, unintentionally(?) urging them on

4. Deadly Riots – the Los Angeles Riot of 1992 (cont’d) • ANALYSIS • social control – L.A. police underestimated reaction to verdict (note Gates at a fund-raiser) – poor planning, coordinated, intelligence, tension between Mayor and Chief of Police, not enough officers on duty even to begin to handle situation – question? – what have police learned since the L.A. riots?

4. Deadly Riots – the Los Angeles Riot of 1992 (cont’d) • ANALYSIS • classification of participants – (from Turner and Killian) • ego-involved (the most personally ‘engaged’ and ‘invested’ in the outcome of the verdict) • concerned (not so invested, but possibly helpful to the rioters, generally supportive) • insecure (those just ‘along for the ride’ because they want to be part of it, but not really invested at all) • spectators (lots of these in the L.A. riots) • ego-detached exploiters (L.A. riots literally taken over by these – the looters, targets changed from authority symbols to businesses, and ransacking these)

SOCI 3006 – Collective Behaviour July 2006 Lecture 8

1. Administrative • hand back midterm • supplementary test – Thursday, July 20, 2006 • supplementary test – 20 multiple choice/true-false • supplementary test worth 10 marks • essays due Thursday, July 20 • all materials for test are on website • password for website is cjrocks

2. Images, Miracles and Apparitions • a common form of collective behaviour • generally take place in a public, secular setting, despite their • often religious nature (note Durkheim on sacred/profane) • Images • belief in the spontaneous appearance of a religious • figure on an everyday object • e.g. - the face of Jesus on a grilled cheese sandwich; • Jesus and other figures observed on walls, automobile • body parts; frying pans; windows, storage tanks, etc. • all follow a similar pattern; some individual notices • the image, interprets it as the likeness of a religious • figure, interprets this as some form of miracle, tells • friends, who may then tell others

2. Images, Miracles and Apparitions (cont’d) • Images • interest/belief in images usually relatively short-term • those who believe in the image accept that it is caused • by a mundane event (rust, stains, lighting, etc.) but • believe that these things have been somehow • manipulated by a divine force to show the image • - accessibility by large crowds a key factor • Miracles • tangible physical objects that ‘miraculously’ move, or • cry, drip blood, etc. • miracles often more denomination-specific, less • plausible to general public, more likely to occur indoors

2. Images, Miracles and Apparitions (cont’d) • Miracles • usually belief/non-belief straightforward – either the • statue of the Virgin is bleeding, or it is not, or at least • not real blood • usually requires predisposition to believe (religious) • Apparitions • - involve the miraculous appearance of a figure – religious, • ghosts, angels, famous people – but unlike images and • miracles, the apparition if most often visible to only • one or a handful of people • - may involve claims from some individuals that they are • able to communicate with the apparition • - why so many apparitions involve young girls?

2. Images, Miracles and Apparitions (cont’d) • The Soybean Savior – Jesus on an Oil Tank • Fostoria, Ohio, 1986 • Locher analyzes incident using Smelser’s value-added • theory • structural conduciveness (religious Christian • community, rural, image was easily viewed from cars, • August was nice weather in evenings, vacation time, • image appeared just off the most traveled road in town) • - structural strain (high crime rate, hard economic times, • very hot, dry weather)

2. Images, Miracles and Apparitions (cont’d) • The Soybean Savior – Jesus on an Oil Tank • generalized belief (devout believers, devout skeptics, • doubting participants, nonbelievers) • - mobilization of participants (local people strongly • urged others to take a look; the media got involved • (August 1986 a slow news time), religious leaders • social control – local authorities unable to deter • onlookers, so managed, facilitated orderly viewing • note: how important a single individual’s ‘definition of the • situation’ was in creating, shaping events • what caused this event to end?

2. Images, Miracles and Apparitions (cont’d) • Our Lady of Clearwater • Clearwater, Florida, 1996 – 2001 • again, use of Smelser’s value-added theory • also, use of Turner and Killian’s types of crowd • participants (ego-involved, concerned, insecure, • spectators, exploiters)

3. Rumours, Urban Myths and Urban Legends • a rumour is an unconfirmed statement or fact passed through • informal communication • often rumours arise in situations of anxiety/uncertainty, where • individuals will seek any sort of information to make sense of • what is happening • tellers may repeat rumours out of a feeling of ‘being in the • know’ or feeling powerful – status, attention, to create excitement • believers consider the information plausible and accept it as • fact • rumours often serve to confirm what believers already suspect or • want to believe is true

3. Rumours, Urban Myths and Urban Legends (cont’d) • urban legends are a form of rumour told as a story (the • bathtub legend, or the Eddie Murphy legend; the Hippie girl • and the baby in the oven) • urban myths are a form of rumour told in regard to a specific • ‘fact’ (cocaine in Coca Cola; tooth in Coca-Cola; the myth • of babies sacrificed by Satanic Cults – Geraldo Rivera) • the Proctor and Gamble rumour – and analysis using the • emergent norm theory

3. Rumours, Urban Myths and Urban Legends (cont’d) • uncertainty and the ‘rumour public’ – belief that ‘something is • wrong with the country’ and this ‘Satanism’ promoted by a • large corporation could be it • urgency – if something not done quickly, the devil would take over • but note as well poor economy at the time • communication of mood and imagery – the circular reaction • among the rumour public – the role of the church newsletters and • direct-mail flyers (also, eventually, Am-Way) • constraint – in particular, among religious congregations fueled • by their Ministers

3. Rumours, Urban Myths and Urban Legends (cont’d) • selective individual suggestibility – polarization of beliefs, • leading to spread of acceptance of rumour by those already • selectively likely to accept (religious groups) • permissiveness – free to discuss, share concerns, different • versions, ‘takes’ on the rumour, openly • note: why do we accept rumours when we suspect/know they • are false?

1. Administrative • all materials up to Lecture 8 are on website • password for website is cjrocks

2. Fads • fads appear quickly, and disappear just as quickly • may be related to physical activities (mini-golf, dances) • fads may re-surface periodically (skateboarding; roller • skating/blading, skipping) • activity fads - centre on leisure-type activities like dances, • physical activities (phone-booth or VW stuffing), often • heavily promoted in mass media • useful product fads - K-Tel products; the ‘silver bullet’; • gasoline additives; backyard vinyl swimming pools

2. Fads • frivolous product fads – Pet Rocks; plastic flamingo lawn • ornaments • 3. Crazes • different than fads, involve the purchase, investment in • something in order to make a profit • need to be distinguished from legitimate, real increase • in commodities, stocks – in the case of crazes, speculation • usually in terms of things that have little or no use value • often the ‘craze’ commodities become value-less overnight • e.g. – the Florida land craze; Alaska gold-rush; buried • treasure

4. Toy Fads • the ‘hot’ Christmas toy • Tickle-me-Elmo, Beanie Babies, Furby Frenzy, X-Box, • GI Joe, Cabbage Patch Dolls, etc. • in rush to acquire the toy, collective violence can • erupt, financial speculation, etc. • note – how the toy fad can actually lead to increased • social interaction, milling, communication, etc. • uncertainty – often, created by toy manufacturer, media as • a way of boosting sales, selling out product • urgency – there is only a limited number, and a limited time • frame in which to get the product – importance here of • media, rumours, creating a sense of panic

4. Toy Fads • communication of mood and imagery – note importance • here of milling behaviour, depictions of this in media, • rumour networks, stores creating circumstances, line-ups • increasing communication of a sense of uncertainty, • urgency • constraint – both normative influence and informational • influence – feeling that, maybe the others who you see • doing this know something you don’t know • selective individual suggestibility – the tendency for • crowd members to ‘selectively’ attend to, integrate • information, behaviour that confirms/conforms to the • new emerging norms • permissiveness – the sense that behaviours, attitudes • normally unacceptable are okay in this new situation (e.g. pushing, shoving, lying)

4. Toy Fads(cont’d) • classification of participants – ego-involved (parents, • grandparents, relatives), concerned (those attempting • to get a toy for someone else), insecure (getting a toy • for the sake of saying you got one), spectators (shoppers, • the general public, media), ego-detached exploiters • (counterfeiters, bootleggers, pirates, scalpers) • note: to what extent do fads represent a desire to possess a • status position, as defined by social norms (the good parent)

5. Millennialism • what happened to the dire predictions for the year 2000? • the Y2K Apocalypse? • note that much of the concern began with the potential • inability of older computers to handle the four digits • required to distinguish the year 2000 from the number 00 – • a potential problem in being able to accurately calculate • dates, billing, many statistics, etc. – predictions that, • for example, the Shuttle would be lost in space, computer • networks would grind to halt • many alarmist writers, commentators predicted some sort • of modern day apocalypse – cars would stop running, • infrastructure would crumble, chaos would result, ATMs • would stop working, bank accounts could disappear, etc. • brisk business in Y2K survival guides

5. Millennialism • unfortunately, cooler, calmer heads and scientists were • dismissed as being ‘head in the sand’ fools – and were • rarely heard from in the press • differing levels of fear, concern, preparation in response • to Y2K – everything from ignoring it, to stocking up on • cash, gas, water to retreating with guns, etc. in cabins in the • remote wilderness to live ‘off the grid’ until the world • returned to normal • hardcore believers in the Y2K apocalypse took several • forms: the “end of the world as we know it” types, the • Christian millenarians, the “Luddite survivalists” • softcore believers – no apocalypse, but brownouts, blackouts, • at the extreme but unlikely, meltdown

5. Millennialism • the cautious and worried – panic, get ready just in case • Y2K skeptics – minor problems, faith in science and • human ingenuity, we’ll get through this somehow • the official government position – leaning toward • hysteria – advising keep on hand a three-day supply of • food and water in their homes – but as the actual date • approached, calmer heads prevailed • The Chain of Beliefs – the domino effect; civil disorder and • rioting in the streets; ‘foreigners’ and terrorism; fear itself • of what was to come would create chaos without any • precipitating event; the predominance of rumour and the • role here of the mainstream media

5. Millennialism • Y2K, the “Prophets’ and the “Profits’ – make hay while the • sun shines – what role did they play in promoting panic • in a self-fulfilling prophecy? • note: what actually happened on January 1, 2000? • reactions to the ‘Great Disappointment’ • analysis – emergent norm theory, value-added theory and • the individualist perspective (also sociocybernetic theory) • the definition of the situation and its importance

1. Administrative • all materials on website • password for website is cjrocks

2. Social Movements • a social movement is created when a group of people organize • in an attempt to encourage or resist some kind of social change • goal is usual to achieve some kind of political influence or • political power • social movements composed of ‘ordinary people’

2. Social Movements (cont’d) • social movements are usually made up of a number of • different organizations (e.g. the environmental preservation • movement – Greenpeace, Greens, Sierra Club, etc.) – also, • feminist movement, Gay Rights movement • some debate over social movements are another form of • collective behaviour, or a distinct form of ‘collective action’ • in society

2. Social Movements (cont’d) • like other forms of collective behaviour, social movements • do represent group forms of ‘deviant’ or non-institutionalized • behaviour (e.g. passive resistance; protests; boycotts; • petitions), and emergent norm phenomena take place, social • strain is released, etc.

2. Social Movements (cont’d) • unlike other forms of collective behaviour social movements • are: • 1. organized – there is a division of labour, use of • resources, conscious decision to be a part of a social • movement, to devote time, possibly money • 2. deliberate – there are clear goals, plans to achieve these, • fund-raising, membership drives, publicity planning, etc. • 3. enduring – social movements are long-lasting, with • the goal of having their agenda become institutionalized, • as in the form of a bureaucratic organization (e.g. Nader’s • Raiders)

2. Social Movements (cont’d) • types of social movements • 1. alternative social movements – designed to create change • in the way people think or behaviour in relation to a • specific issue (e.g. DARE; animal rights movement) • 2. redemptive social movements – want to create a change, • but only in some individual’s lives (e.g. – Christian • fundamentalist missionaries; Jehovah’s Witnesses) • 3. reformative social movements – desire is to create change • on a broad scale, in an entire community or society – • both progressive (MADD; Gay Rights; suffrage) • and reactionary or countermovement (Ku Klux Klan; • the Weathermen; DAMM).

2. Social Movements (cont’d) • types of social movements • 4. revolutionary social movements – goal is to completely • destroy the old social order and replace it with a • new order (e.g. American/French revolution; IRA; • Russian Revolution, FLQ, etc.)

2. Social Movements (cont’d) • resistance to social movements – usually resistance • strongest from those who stand to lose the most if the • social movement is successful (e.g. gasoline engine • manufacturers; automobile manufacturers lobbying against • mass transit; anti-Kyoto movement) • 1. ridicule – can attempt to portray either movement • followers, or those in power as stupid, uninformed, • selfish – through use of cartoons, advertising, in • mass media – note the John Kerry incident

2. Social Movements (cont’d) • 2. co-opting – can take some component of the social • movement and bring it over to the opposing side – • for example, by (a) making up a name for the opposing side • that sounds very similar to that of the social movement • (e.g. the Greener Earth Society coalition of electricity • and utility companies) and (b) hiring way the social • movement’s leadership – the example of Candy Lightner, • founder of MADD being hired by the American Beverage • Institute; also, promotion into management of union • leadership

2. Social Movements (cont’d) • 3. formal social control – in the form of legitimate force used • to control demonstrations, ensure public order; in the use • of law and local ordinances/bylaws to control, hinder, • harass those involved in the social movement; and finally, • through the use of violence – as in use of violence by • police during civil rights movement; by pro-life • movement; by Ku Klux Klan; killing of Chinese • dissidents in Tiananmen Square

SOCI 3006 – Collective Behaviour July 2006 Review #2